6533b7d7fe1ef96bd1267a90
RESEARCH PRODUCT
At the intersection of cultural and natural heritage: Distribution and conservation of the type localities of Italian endemic vascular plants
A. CroceG. BarberisLiliana BernardoLuisa CartaDuilio IamonicoGabriella VaccaStefano MarsiliA BrunuAdriano StincaAnnalisa SantangeloFabrizio BartolucciCristina SalmeriGianluca IiritiAntonella AlbanoElisabetta ScassellatiGiuseppe BrunduDaniela LongoMauro MariottiRiccardo PennesiRobert P. WagensommerMariacristina VillaniLorenzo PeruzziIgnazio CamardaA. AlessandriniPietro MedagliSimonetta PecceniniSalvatore BrulloFabio ContiEnrico BanfiFrancesco Maria RaimondoGabriele GalassoGianniantonio DominaM. BovioMauro IberiteAnnalaura PistarinoNicodemo G. PassalacquaFederico Selvisubject
0106 biological sciencesMediterranean climateBehavior and Systematic010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciencesEvolutionDistribution (economics)Conservation010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesEndemicType (biology)Conservation; Endemics; Italian flora; Loci classici; Spatial analysisNatural heritageItalian floraResource managementEndemismItalian flora; Conservation; Endemics; Spatial analysis; Loci classiciEcology Evolution Behavior and Systematics0105 earth and related environmental sciencesItalian flora Conservation Endemics Spatial analysis Loci classiciNature and Landscape ConservationEcologyEcologybusiness.industrySettore BIO/02 - Botanica SistematicaSpatial analysisEndemicsLoci classiciEcology Evolution Behavior and SystematicGeographyImportant Plant AreasSpatial analysiSettore BIO/03 - Botanica Ambientale E ApplicataMainlandbusinessdescription
Abstract We conducted a GIS spatial analysis with the aim of providing the first quantitative large-scale overview of the distribution patterns of 1536 type localities ( loci classici ) of 1216 Italian endemic vascular plants and their relationship with a set of descriptive variables. Whereas some variables were used to model the presence-absence distribution patterns of the type localities for the whole set of endemics as well as for the subset of narrow endemics, others (e.g., presence inside or outside protected areas and Italian Important Plant Areas) were considered with the purpose of assessing potential assets or risks for conservation. The largest number of type localities was found within the Mediterranean biogeographic region (1134), followed by the Alpine region (306) and Continental region (96). A total of 670 locations are located on islands, whereas 866 are located on the Italian mainland (139 and 124 in the case of narrow endemics, respectively). A large number of type localities are located in mountainous areas and along the coastline, which can be seen as a potential risk for conservation. On the contrary, we detected a positive correlation with the distance from roads, which might be considered to be an asset. Importantly, 1030 type localities fall inside protected areas, whereas 506 localities fall outside protected areas, with 259 of these unprotected localities on islands. We propose considering the results of the analysis of the distribution of type localities of Italian endemics to be a strategic tool for conservation planning and resource management. Application of plant micro-reserves and integration of diverse legislation tools are suggested to strengthen efforts and increase conservation success.
year | journal | country | edition | language |
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2017-10-01 |